Comfort
by phirephox666
Summary: Edmund's having nightmares. Lucy's very worried. Peter comforts. Susan is absent. One-shot. Complete. No slash. No incest. All brother-fluff. Complete.


**Title: **Comfort

**Author: **PhirePhox666

**Fandom:** The Chronicles of Narnia

**Pairing/Characters: **No pairings. Peter, Edmund, and Lucy.

**Rating: **PG-13

**Warnings:** Nightmares and sadness and crying.

**Summary:** Edmund's having nightmares. Lucy's very worried. Peter comforts. Susan is absent. One-shot. Complete.

**Disclaimer: **Not mine. I just enjoy playing in their metaphorical sandboxes.

**Word Count: **804

**Dedication: **To Narnia and to Aslan.

**Prompt: **Comfort (#79)

**Excerpt:**Edmund's nightmares were getting worse with each passing day, and Lucy did not know what to do.

**A/N: **This is of my self-challenge oneshots. The 79th word on my list. Obviously I am dong them out of order. Inspired by the word 'comfort.' There is a companion piece called _Broken_. This is mostly just brotherly fluff. Lots of it. A little angst but not terribly much. It is meant to be a oneshot but if I get a lot of requests I might write where Edmund tells Peter of his nightmare. Review if you wish. Flame if you wish. Still never been flamed. Hope you like.

Comfort

Edmund's nightmares were getting worse with each passing day, and Lucy did not know what to do. Susan hardly spoke two words to either of them in a week and Peter was off at University. And she certainly couldn't tell their parents of Edmund's horrible nightmares.

She had written Peter three days ago. Had begged him to come home, if only for a few days. Told him that Edmund was barely getting four hours of sleep a night and ate like a bird most meals, playing with his food more oft than he ate it.

Lucy sighed quietly as she stroked her brother's forehead, watching him sleep. Her vigil seemed to do nothing to ease his nightmares, though it helped her peace of mind but a little. There was nothing else she could do, for Peter had always been Edmund's principal comforter when such night terrors took hold and neither Lucy nor Susan had ever been able to do more than help him through the days after. And now Lucy did not even have Susan to share that burden with.

Lucy was startled out of her thoughts when Edmund jerked awake, his breathing too fast, tears pouring down his face and his jaw clenched shut. Edmund never screamed during or when he awoke from his nightmares. Lucy leaned forward her own face twisted into a worried expression as she took one of his hands in two of her own. She did not speak, just held his hand in silent comfort.

Some time later, Lucy lay o Edmund's bed, fast asleep. She was as exhausted as he was from trying to take care of him all by herself. None of them had ever had to try and do that before. Edmund covered her with his blankets, smiling softly to himself as he did.

It was nearly midnight, he noticed on his way down the stairs. He had lately been up around these hours more and more as his nightmares made him get less and less sleep. He was so exhausted that it was ridiculous.

His thoughts were frozen when he walked into the kitchen to see:

"Peter!" He exclaimed near running to his brother who opened his arms for him.

Edmund half-collapsed into Peter's embrace. Peter pulled him close making soothing noises and before Edmund knew it he was sobbing into his brothers arms.

Peter sunk to the floor bringing Edmund with him. When they got there Peter gathered Edmund into his lap.

"It's okay Ed. It's okay, Eddie. I'm here. Everything is going to be alright. No one's taking any of us anywhere, Eddie. It's all right." Peter cooed into his brother's dark hair.

Peter held Edmund until the younger boy had calmed down enough so it was only the occasional sniffle. As a result Peter found himself with an armful of exhausted, cried-out, half-asleep Edmund. Peter really didn't mind.

"Come on, Eddie, we have to go to bed." He murmured into Edmund's hair.

"Don' leave, Pet-ah..." Edmund slurred tiredly into Peter's shoulder.

Peter couldn't help chuckling. "I won't Edmund. Never fear that."

With a bit of maneuvering, cajoling Edmund, and half-dragging, Peter and Edmund managed to get up the stairs and into Peters room. The only reason Peter didn't put Edmund to bed in his own room was that he said not to. Peter's room was closer anyway. Really.

Peter was half dressed in pajamas when Edmund called out a sleepy "Peter?"

"Here, Ed." He answered pulling the shirt over his head and meeting hooded, brown eyes with his own tired, blue ones.

"I'm sorry." Edmund's voice was sleep-heavy and more than a little sad.

"Oh, Eddie." Peter leaned over to brush the hair out of Edmund's eyes. "You have nothing to be sorry for."

"But- !" Edmund went to protest.

"Shush, Eddie." Peter commanded. "It can hold 'til morning."

When Edmund looked ready to disobey and speak again, Peter put his own hand over Edmund's mouth. "Peace, Brother. 'Til morning."

Edmund subsided wearily, sinking back into the soft bed. Peter ruffled his hair fondly, before sliding in next to him. Edmund gratefully snuggled into him, resting his head on Peter's shoulder. Peter wrapped one arm securely around Edmund's waist an buried his nose in his brother's hair.

"I love you, Pete." Was whispered softly into his shoulder.

"I love you too, Eddie." Was whispered back.

For the first time in months both boys slept peacefully through the night.

_Finis_.


End file.
